Satoshi Kon is a truly exceptional talent. His films focus on uniquely human themes, yet often blur the line between fantasy and reality. Kon’s movies have a psychological complexity to them and are intelligent visions of human nature. With Millennium Actress, Satoshi Kon is at his very best.

His career only spans four films thus far, but his talents are unquestionable and he stands apart as a true giant in Japanese animation. Kon’s writing is tender and detailed, as he constructs characters that audiences can relate to and places them in situations of extraordinary depth.

Millennium Actress tells a complex story of love, devotion, and the purposes one finds in life. The tale begins with documentary filmmaker Genya Tachibana and his cameraman heading to visit the great Japanese actress Chiyoko Fujiwara. Chiyoko has become a recluse since leaving the film industry 30 years ago. Securing the interview was difficult, but Genya has something special for Chiyoko that she will be most interested in: a key left to her by a lost love. As Genya and his cameraman begin the interview, Chiyoko reminiscences about her life and about her pursuit of love and devotion over the course of several years.

The narrative style takes us through history as we follow Chiyoko through her early years before she became an actress to her final days as she comes to terms with the life she experienced. Kon’s piece weaves the story through portions of Chiyoko’s films and her re-telling of her experiences, often combining reality with the storylines from the movies. Genya and his cameraman tag along through it all, capturing an overview of history through the imaginative storytelling of Chiyoko.

Kon’s film depicts a fair history of Japan, taking us from the Warring States during Japan’s medieval era to the Meiji period during the late 19th century to the post-war period and the Occupation. The “real” portions of the film are interspersed with visions from the films of Chiyoko, making for a continually compelling journey. The imagination of Kon through his visions of these various time periods makes Millennium Actress a truly epic movie.

Kon’s screenplay alone would have been stunning enough. With the storytelling techniques he employs, however, Millennium Actress becomes absolutely incredible. The actress’s films serve as backdrops for her journey through life to find her lost love, making for some gripping philosophical moments as the actor becomes the characters through various stages of time. Kon chooses to make the Genya and his cameraman part of the memories, too, which adds an extra personal element to the characterizations and helps tie more emotion into the already strong story.